<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Dark Caves by magnapopus</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25136116">Dark Caves</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnapopus/pseuds/magnapopus'>magnapopus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Ye Ming Zhu [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Steven Universe (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Isolation, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Scars, Trauma, monster dealing with being monsters</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 11:00:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,926</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25136116</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnapopus/pseuds/magnapopus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Ping was still quite intimidated by humans and crowds in general, the signs of the most recent close human encounter still creeping on her right arm like spiderwebs, cracking her form in more than one place. Making Ping feel safe and unashamed of her gem form again had been a long and tedious process, one that that day culminated with their outing at the fair."</p><p>A mellow and fragmented epilogue to my OCs series.<br/>This story takes place in an alternative universe where gem have been integrated into society since the start of human history but still experience discrimination because of their alien nature. Spinels are a common kind of gem, not as rare as we came to think from our only canon example in the show and movie, and more beast-like gems have developed on earth though the ages.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Character(s)/Original Character(s), Original Gem Character(s)/Original Gem Character(s) (Steven Universe)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Ye Ming Zhu [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1820734</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dark Caves</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Ping the ye ming zhu belongs to Corgi's (@gay_rok22)<br/>and Creame the spinel to Poli's (@polikings)<br/>Also here a little piece of art I made for this two OCs, Ping has no scars yet here, but I feel it still fits quite nicely:<br/>https://twitter.com/magnapopus/status/1255950796304158720</p><p>After all the kinky sex I decided to finish this series for my friends with something more serious and sweet, a way to ground all the feral behaviors Ping manifested throughout her development as a character, yet not leaving this on a sour note cause I'm too soft.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It happened all in an instant; the street lights were blinding, the voices around her louder than thunder, it all swirled together in a suffocating whirlpool that sucked her down under the surface of her subconscious.<br/>
What triggered it was unclear even to Ping, she didn’t know how her thoughts spiraled down so quickly into an adrenaline-induced panic, it could have been a face, maybe a phrase she heard a passerby mutter next to her, what was certain now was that she had attacked someone. Again.</p><p>Her breath stuck in her throat as she looked at her companion, the small orange spinel clutching at her chest on her knees a few feet from Ping as if she had been flung away with great force. Creame didn’t poof, she learned not to do so around Ping, but maybe this time dissipating would have been smarter, she could have spared the ye ming zhu the spectacle of her form curling up in pain, maybe if she was reduced to her gemstone now Ping would not be running away but she would have the courtesy to pick her up and get to a safe place.<br/>
Yet it all happened so fast that neither of them could think for the best course of action, all that the spinel could do was scream and the ye ming zhu could only answer to her instinct and flee the scene.</p><p>Frantically Ping crouched down and sprinted away like an animal, her back hunched as she used her long arms as leverage to boost her speed, the people around her on the sidewalk opening up a path for the beastly creature to go though, too scared to oppose her. She reached the beach and from there followed the deserted shoreline up to a small cavern, a dark and humid shelter but now all Ping ever needed.<br/>
She crawled her way to the back of the cave, her tears streaming down her face as they blurred her vision.</p><p>She had done it, she promised herself she would have been better, she would have been friendly and harmless so nobody else would think of her as a threat and take actions against her, yet there she was, her head covered by her massive hands, hiding from the consequences of her actions like a coward.<br/>
Maybe she should stay hidden forever, be forgotten and wait for the inevitable day the planet will be devoured by its sun, maybe she should shatter herself for good, make her shards fall where nobody could find them and put them back together.</p><p>Through the tears, she could still see the pain in Creame’s eyes, the way her small body shuddered at the shock. Ping was sure she was disappointed in her, disgusted by the ye ming zhu, maybe even became scared of her. After all, she was only a glorified beast made from Earth’s soil like many other lower life forms on this planet, a savage that was granted intelligence by accident. Creame should have chosen a real gem, a Homeworld gem with the composure of a higher being, sophisticated, free from instincts, and with no ill intentions...dissimilar from herself.</p><p>[...]<br/>
[A few moments before]</p><p> </p><p>The smell of candied nuts and popcorns was almost nauseating, cotton candy hung in big plastic bags from the poles of the stands, grills fizzled with whole corn ears ready to be buttered and salted.  </p><p>The farmer market was in town! Creame was never a fan of junk food in general, but Ping really needed some distractions and the spinel knew that there was no better way to console her girlfriend than food. She looked up at the lanky green gem next to her, the ye ming zhu’s eyes darting between the different stands, hunching almost shyly as she held her own tail in one hand and Creame’s arm in the other.</p><p>Ping was still quite intimidated by humans and crowds in general, the signs of the most recent close human encounter still creeping on her right arm like spiderwebs, cracking her form in more than one place. Making Ping feel safe and unashamed of her gem form again had been a long and tedious process, one that that day culminated with their outing at the fair.</p><p>They kept strolling through the crowd unnoticed, just a pair of gems in a multitude of others, as Ping was secured to the spinel by a reassuring and constant physical contact.<br/>
When the ye ming zhu froze in place and let go of her arm Creame didn’t give much thought to the signals, she didn’t follow the taller gem’s line of view, she didn’t ask her if she was okay from a safe distance, she just approached her mate calmly and pulled at her arm to get her attention.</p><p>And then it happened.</p><p>She felt the claws of one of Ping’s hands cut through her form, the light projected from her gem flickering painfully as she struggled to maintain her form. She groaned and yelped from the pain, still, she looked up at the ye ming zhu, more concerned with her and the reason she had lashed out at her in that way than her own current condition.</p><p>“Pin-...Ping, what’s wrong?”, she asked, but the green gem was already backing away, her eyes wide in shock as she stared at Creame as if she was the one that slashed at her and not the other way around.</p><p>The spinel tried to reach out for the ye ming zhu, yet her form tried again to phase out, the pain more severe than she thought, so she stayed still, powerless as Ping turned and ran away from the scene.</p><p>She clutched at her chest again and collected herself, her form slowly stabilizing as she tried to calm down her ragged breath.</p><p>She had to find Ping before she was too far away, she couldn't leave her alone.</p><p>[...]</p><p>How long has it been? A few hours? A day? A Week? She didn’t remember, her head hurt and her chest felt heavy. Had she fallen asleep?</p><p>Uncurling herself she noticed the rough texture of the cave floor on her tail and palms, and suddenly the weight of the situation was pressing on her again; she had run away, she hurt Creame, she was a monster unworthy of her trust.</p><p>She felt like crying but nothing came out of her other than a miserable wail as she curled back against herself, her arms wrapped around her chest, and her claws digging in her shoulder on either sides. She was going to be alone, alone forever, and it was all her fault. She was about to break down into tears again when the distinctive sound of footsteps on sand drew her attention.<br/>
Someone was close. She tried to stay perfectly still as she listened, the sound approaching, then she saw a figure, a tall and distinctively feminine figure. A human?</p><p>Ping tried to shuffle back, deeper into the cave, only to notice the glint of a gem. It was a pearl. A friend, she would recognize the shade of her gemstone anywhere with her dusty brown shades. The ye ming zhu relaxed automatically at the sight, almost willing to follow her out of the cave, only to be brought back to her state of misery and guilt by a smaller and more than familiar voice.</p><p>“Ping? It’s us, I'm with your pal, there’s nothing to fear, Baby Glow.”</p><p>The green gem recoiled, her back scraping against the wall of the cave.</p><p>Creame was there with the brown pearl.</p><p>“I just want to talk, I’m not mad at you, I was not mindful of your space and you have all the rights to be mad.”, Creame spoke from the entrance of the cavern, using the echo of its walls to reach Ping.</p><p>Ping listened but didn't move, she knew she should stay away from her friends, from her lover, she was a hazard to all gems and humans around the city, a monster.</p><p>“You know that I can take it, I’m a tough gal, I can handle a little roughing up, ya know that!”</p><p>She heard a hint of a laughter trail in the sentence coming from Creame, but this only made the green ye ming zhu cringe in her hole, memories of her not so gentle encounters with the spinel flashing through her mind. She is a monster…she always had been.</p><p>“You have been improving a lot, but only ‘cause you roll down the hill by accident it doesn't mean you ain’t allowed to crawl back up, you know!”</p><p>There’s a pause and Ping’s mind goes placid for a moment, thoughts seem to escape her as soon as they touch her mind, going over every little thing she did in the past few months with the orange spinel but not lingering on anyone in particular.<br/>
She recalled the way Creame mended to her cracked form after her incident with those cruel humans, that time she let her hold her at night when the nightmares keep her awake, her gentle fingers running through her hair when she had been shaking during their trip to the store when it got too loud. The orange gem had been with her all this time, no matter how annoying or pathetic she acts, how aggressive and irrational she turns.</p><p>Ping slowly relaxed as she noticed the cave had darkened, the sun outside already setting.<br/>
Lowering a hand to the cave floor she felt the jagged rocks dig in her palm, the sensation unpleasant and cold to her skin. Rising the hand from the floor she pressed the fingers of her other hand on the now chilled palm.<br/>
She already missed the comforting touches of the spinel’s soft gloves…</p><p>[...]</p><p>She had been sitting outside the cave for about five hours, the brown pearl that accompanied her patiently standing out of earshot to give them privacy, stern and unphased like a tin soldier. That pearl was almost unnerving to be around, she had known Ping for the longest time and still seemed to revere the ye ming zhu, even now that she was free and mated with another gem. Still, if it was not for the pearl she may have never found Ping in such a remote location. She should thank her properly later...</p><p>Shifting her gaze on the horizon she allowed herself to drift off again. The sunset is lovely, she almost feels like she is becoming part of it as her gem reflects the same color from the sky. It’s getting late, but no matter what she is going to stay here until Ping makes up her mind. She won’t leave her alone at her lowest.</p><p>She got a big scare back then when Ping lashed out at her, but she can’t blame the ye ming zhu, she is still recovering, these kinds of things are bound to happen, it was nobody’s fault. She just hoped Ping was not going to break up over that…</p><p>Creame was already preparing a little speech in her mind to convince her girlfriend to stay if that was the case, when the lumbering figure of the ye ming zhu emerged from the cave, her face tired and her guilt still clear on her features. Yet Creame turned around just enough to look at her and extend her arms out, inventing the green gem for a hug.</p><p>Ping almost started to cry again as she hid her head in the spinel’s lap, covering her face in her puffy dress.</p><p>“Welcome back, my love.“</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>